Book excerpt: Cincinnati's Northside neighborhood rests in the amphitheater created by the Mill Creek and West Fork Creek. Settled in 1790, incorporated in 1865, and annexed in 1873, it was Cincinnati's first commuter suburb. Its colorful history from Native American days to the present is evidenced by its many names-Ludlow Station, Helltown, Happy Valley, Tanyard, and Cumminsville. The abolitionist sentiment made it a hotbed for Underground Railroad activity. A large German presence birthed its many beer gardens and saloons. Wealthy estate owners of Clifton and Avondale came to Frogtown to buy perennials for formal gardens. The fashion-conscious came to seek the large number of merchant tailors and milliners for their high-quality and contemporary styles. Beer drinkers sought Bruckman's Beer, fermented on the canal. The famous Crosley brothers started their empire in Northside. This Cincinnati neighborhood still sparkles today with the diversity and creativity of its past. Step back in time to see the stories that still make Cincinnati's Northside neighborhood such a vibrant and exciting community.